DUDLEY 485 XL 1740 II. Ferdinando Dudley (Lea), Lord Dudley [1440], to nephew and h., being s. and h. of Frances, wife of 1757. William Lea (who d. 31 Jan. 1741, aged 64), of Hales- owen Grange, Salop, which Frances was only sister of the loth Lord, and d. 24 Jan. 1737, aged 50. He was bap. 14 Sep. 17 10, at Halesowen, and took his seat in the House of Lords, 26 Nov. I740.() He d. unm., at Halesowen Grange, 21, and was bur. 26 Oct. 1757, in Halesowen Church, aged 47, when the Barony of Dudley fell into abeyance between his sisters and coheirs.() Will dat. 28 Oct. 1755, pr. 10 May I758.('=) [The title was assumed after his death (illegally, no termination having been made of its abeyance) as under.] Xll. 1757 12. Anne, j/yAw^/^^rj^/yBARONESs Dudley, 1st sister to and coheir of the last Lord, bap. 24 Mar. 17 14, at 1762. Halesowen; m. (settL 18 May 1737) William Smith, of Stoke Prior and Ridgacre, co. Worcester, who d. 19 May 1784, aged 71, and was bur. in Halesowen Church. She d. (») He voted with the Whigs against the address for the removal of Walpole in 1741. V.G. C") These were (i) Anne, named in the text above, whose descendant petitioned for the Barony in 1 91 4. See below. (2) Frances, hap. 12 Apr. 17 17, m., 8 Dec. 1740, Walter Woodcock. She surv. him and was bur. 14 Mar. 1800, leaving issue. (3) Mary, w., in 1 741, Joseph Harvey. She was /'«r. i4Apr. 1742, leaving an infant, who d. 15 May following. (4) Catherine, bap. 8 Feb. 1726/7, «., 16 Nov. 1744, Thomas Jordan of Birmingham, gunsmith, and was bur. 12 Apr. 1756, leaving issue. (5) Elizabeth, bap. 23 Feb. 1728/9, ot., 14 July 1759, the Rev. Benjamin Briscoe. Her only surv. issue, the Rev. William Lea Briscoe, d. s.p., 25 Aug. 1834. With regard to Catherine (no. 4), Henry F. J. Vaughan supplied G.E.C. with further particulars of her, which were said to be derived from the papers of the Rev. Thomas Hughes. According to this information, Catherine m., 2ndly, Henry Turner, oj Stonall in Shenstone, co. Stafford, by whom she had Daniel Turner, her s. and h., who {besides 3 sons who all d. s.p.) left J daughters, of whom (i) Catherine, the eldest {b. 13 July 1775), m., in 1802, George Jones, of Broseley, Salop, and d. 1858, leaving John Jones, her s. and h., b. 2 Apr. 1 805, who d. 8 Oct. 1882, leaving issue. (ii) Phcebe, the 6th da. [b. 25 Mar. 1790), m. John Barker and had issue. Nevertheless, all this story of the 2nd marriage is disposed of (a) by the entry in the RegisterofSt. Philip's, Birmingham, of the burial of Catherine Jordan on 12 Apr. 1756; (b) by her Admon. 2 2 Nov. 1757, in which she is described as "Catherine Jordan, formerly Lea " (P.C.C); (c) by the proof of the will of Thomas Jordan, her husband, 17 Apr. 1762 (P.C.C). V.G. {<^) By this will he strictly entailed the whole of his estate (that of Halesowen) on the heirs of his eldest sister, Anne Smith, doubtless contemplating an early termination of the abeyance of the Barony in favour of her heir, and being desirous of endowing the title. The will gave offence, naturally, to the other sisters and coheirs, who unsuccessfully disputed it as made under undue influence.
